● To celebrate Recycle Week (17th – 23rd October) Edinburgh residents and the surrounding areas can recycle items the council doesn’t collect and raise money for charity in the process
● The recycling programmes are free to join for individuals, schools and businesses
● For each item recycled, points are awarded that are redeemable as donations to a chosen charity, community project or school
● Less than half of all household waste produced in Edinburgh is currently recycled
Edinburgh residents and the surrounding areas can celebrate Recycle Week by signing up to recycle “unrecyclable” items – including cheese packaging, cleaning product packaging, hair care empties and beauty products – whilst raising money for their chosen good cause in the process.
These everyday items have traditionally not been recycled by councils, usually because they are made up of a mix of materials that makes them more complex and costly to recycle. As a result they are often destined for landfill, incineration or the natural environment.
The recycling programmes are run by TerraCycle and are free to sign up to. By signing up, residents can either collect and send in their waste to be recycled, or they can set up a public drop-off location and become recycling champions for their communities.
Less than half of all household waste produced in Edinburgh is recycled.
By signing up to one or more of the following free recycling programmes – among others which can be found on TerraCycle’s website – everyone can play their part in combatting the waste crisis:
The Cheese Packaging Free Recycling Programme
The Kinder Free Recycling Programme
The Ueshima Coffee Company Free Recycling Programme
The Hair Care Packaging Free Recycling Programme
The RB® Hygiene Home Free Recycling Programme
The Personal Care and Beauty Free Recycling Programme
Once signed up to a programme, a free shipping label is sent which can be attached to a box containing the items. Once full this is sent free of charge to TerraCycle to be recycled.
For each item sent in to be recycled, points are awarded which are redeemable as monetary donations to the recyclers’ chosen good cause. To date people across the UK have diverted more than 250 million items from landfill, raising more than £2m for schools, charities, community causes and non-profits.
For more information visit: www.terracycle.co.uk